Photography Posing : 5 Game Changing Tips For Posing Your Subjects Naturally

whether you are posing a child, an entire family, or a cup of coffee on a table, there is an art to photography posing.  while we want our subjects to look as natural as possible, achieving this natural look takes a little thought as we are placing our subjects within the frame.  the tips within this post can be used on any subject, whether you are working with a person or still life.  as you are thinking through your intended photo, be sure you keep these 5 game changing tips in mind to ensure that you are posing your subjects in a natural way.  natural images bring harmony to the viewer, while forced posing brings a sense of awkwardness.   your goal is for your photography posing to look effortless and natural, not forced and intentional.

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Photography Posing: 5 Game Changing Tips For Posing Your Subjects Naturally

Incorporate Life Into Still Life

when it comes to posing inanimate objects, such as still life, i like to incorporate myself within the frame to bring some life to the photograph.  in the photo above, i originally was going to have only the mason jar and the bottle of cider sitting on the table.  instead, i decided to incorporate life into the frame by including myself with the cider, pouring the cider into the jar.  instead of a boring still life shot, i turned it into a photo that contains movement and incorporates texture in the bubbles.

need help jumping in the frame?  check out my step by step guide to taking self portraits with a dslr.

Keep Everything/Everyone Close

whether you are working with multiple objects or people, the game changing tip to getting a good photograph is to keep everything close together.  with human subjects, the closer they are to one another, the better than photograph.  if they are even an inch apart, that can look like a foot in a picture.  when it comes to photography posing with people, the key is closeness.  for inanimate objects, keeping things close together offers harmony and balance.

Create Balance

when it comes to photography posing, balance will be your best friend.  in the image above, i wanted to balance the items (magazine, coffee, glasses) on the right, with the negative space on the left.  because there are multiple items within the same frame, it can easily become overwhelming to the viewer if balance is not achieved.  by keeping the three items close together on one side of the frame, i am balancing busyness with emptiness.

Allow Your Subject Freedom

when working with a human subject, photography posing is achieved best when you put them in a spot that you want to photograph them and then allow them to naturally interact within that spot.  this creates a natural look because, while your subject is being somewhat posed in an area you want them to be, you are giving them the freedom to act naturally within that pose.  in the image above, i knew i wanted an image of our baby sitting on her window seat.  once i set her where i wanted her to be, compositionally, i patiently waited for her to interact within the pose and photographed her naturally looking out the window.

Consider Your Personal Perspective

just like in the scenario above, placing your subject in a desired spot and then considering your own perspective plays a huge role in the success of a photograph when posing.  once you have your subject posed where you want them, be sure to consider how moving yourself and your camera can create a better image.  in the image above, i posed my baby in her high chair and then stepped back, both allowing her to naturally interact within the environment and to photograph with my perspective, by shooting through the dining room lights.

when it comes to photography posing, you simply have to be mindful when placing your subjects.  whether it be a coffee cup or a person, be mindful about how you place them with the frame, how you place yourself in relation to them, how you allow them to interact with the environment, and keep close proximity between your subjects.  photography posing is also about trial and error, so if something isn’t photographing well, consider going through this checklist again to ensure that you have everything placed, including yourself, where it’s best.

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